Ohio investing $41 million for roadway, pedestrian safety projects

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has announced nearly $41 million for 27 traffic safety projects throughout the state. The funding, which comes from the ODOT Highway Safety Improvement Program, will help protect pedestrians and prevent roadway departure crashes.

Roadway departures occur when a car veers from their lane into opposing traffic, resulting in a head-on collision. These types of crashes are a top factor for fatal traffic accidents and contribute to half of all roadway deaths in Ohio each year.

Last year, 615 people died from roadway departures and 150 people died in pedestrian-involved collisions. ODOT plans to fund safety projects like wideninig highway shoulders, cleaning obstacles from roads, upgrading or installing pedestrian hybrid beacons, raised enhanced crosswalks and buffered bike lanes.

“Whether you walk, bike, ride, or drive, we owe it to everyone to make transportation in our state as safe and efficient as possible,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. “These projects are engineered to keep everyone safe.”

Twenty-one counties will receive funds from the program, paid to local government entities. The awards will cover project phases during state FY 2025-2030.

Significant awards include:

$1.9 million to install sidewalks and curb bump outs along state routes in Broadway, Raymond, Irwin and Milford Center villages in Union County.
$2 million for pedestrian improvements, aimed at filling sidewalk and multi-use path gaps along highways and streets in Delaware, Ohio.
$2.2 million to install seven raised crossings along three corridors as part of the Systemic Application initiative in Hamilton County.
$3.2 million for a project aimed at widening, removing fixed objects and making vertical profile improvements along roads in Butler County as part of the Roadway Departure initiative.
$2 million to improve and extend the sidewalk along roads spanning across Hamilton and Warren counties in Loveland.